Dear SMA Community,
THANK YOU to all who attended our Family Fun Night last Friday night! Indeed it was a very fun night with our children running and playing and dancing. The pie-throwing event was especially “tasteful” and fun–I somehow managed to be the “target” of a winner from second grade with a pie pan overflowing with whip cream! Mmm, so good! This pie raffle raised over $500 for our Student Council, so we appreciate your support. Further, a big THANK YOU to our PTO Co-Presidents, Melanie Rivera and Juliana Anthony, for spearheading and coordinating this event. Perhaps next year we get the Dads Club to BBQ for us!?
Tomorrow, our eighth graders will be visiting Our Lady of Peace Academy (the girls) and Saint Augustine High School (the boys). Their day will begin earlier than normal as they are scheduled to meet at SMA around 7:30 am and depart by 7:45 am. Thank you to the parents who will be driving and chaperoning for this high school “shadow day”.
Calling all dads to come to the next meeting of the SMA Dads Club: Thursday night (5:30 pm) at Hennessey’s Tavern in La Jolla! Good food and fellowship will be served and enjoyed by all!
On Friday, we celebrate the Feast of St. Francis of Asissi with our annual Blessing of the Animals on the junior yard (8 am). Bring your pets for a special blessing from Fr. Pat. If you cannot bring your pet on Friday morning, Fr. Pat will be blessing animals for the parish on Saturday morning at 10 am in front of the church.
Also, since Friday is the First Friday of the month, we invite and encourage all moms to join the Moms’ Rosary Group for an hour of morning prayer from 8 to 9 in the chapel at the Mary Star of the Sea parish center/office (contact Diana Anderson for details).
Please remember that next Tuesday is our next Spirit Wear Day and pizza will be served for hot lunch. Also, it looks like students in grades TK through 3 will be on a field trip to Oma’s Pumpkin Patch that morning, but they will be back to enjoy their pizza (and the fourth graders have a field trip to Mission San Luis Rey, but they will not be back for pizza).
Additionally, a reminder that Friday, October 11th, is a school holiday because our teachers will be attending an all-day professional development session hosted by the Office for Schools (Diocese of San Diego). Please plan accordingly since school will not be in session.
Finally, I will be absent from school next Monday through Wednesday as I need to be with my mother in Amarillo, Texas. She is not in good health, yet she is in good spirits. I ask that you keep her in your prayers (her name is Linda).
Thank you for entrusting Stella Maris Academy with your children’s education.
With blessings and gratitude,
Jamie Brandt
Principal